Easter Celebration in India

Easter Date 2016

Sunday 27 March

Easter Sunday is one of the major festivals of Christian community all over the world which celebrates the resurrection of Jesus on the third day of His crucifixion. In India too, Easter holiday also called Jesus Resurrection Sunday, is observed on the Sunday that follows the Good Friday.

What is Easter?

According to the Christians belief, Jesus rose from dead and came back to life three days after his death on the cross- the day which is observed as Good Friday or the Holy Friday. Easter Sunday falls after Lent- the 40 days period when all Christians fast and pray, they go through penance and repentance as well as observe spiritual discipline. The last week of Lent is the Holy week which includes the Maundy Thursday commemorating Maundy and the Last Supper; Good Friday, commemorating the death of Jesus; and Easter Sunday to celebrate the resurrection of Jesus. Easter Holiday is then followed by a 50 days period called Easter Season which ends on Pentecost Sunday.

When is Easter Celebrated?

Easter Date 2016– Easter Holiday this year will be celebrated on Sunday 27th March 2016.

Easter is a movable feast. This means that Easter Sunday does not fall on a fixed day of any year. The Easter festival stands correlated to the Jewish Passover. As the death, burial, and rising of Jesus Christ took place after the Passover, Easter is always celebrated after Passover. Initially, Easter date was established as the first Sunday after the full moon or the Paschal Full Moon which occurs after the northern hemisphere’s vernal equinox. Thus, the Easter Sunday Holiday falls between March 22 and April 25 every year.

About Easter Celebration in India

Christians constitute about 2.3 per cent of India’s population and regarding the total number of people in India, this is quite a figure. Therefore, Easter- along with other Christian festivals like Christmas– is celebrated with great fervor not only by the Christian community but by their friends and acquaintances who belong to the other communities too, thanks to the rich culture of unity in diversity of India.

Easter Celebration In Indian States

The Christian communities in India are densely located in the northeast states of India like Nagaland, Mizoram and Meghalaya as well as western state of Goa and southern states of Kerala and Tamil Nadu. These states account for about 60% of India’s total Christian population. Therefore, Easter is celebrated with more vigor and enthusiasm in these Indian States though the Christians living in other parts of India too celebrate Easter in their own humble ways.

Christians go to churches for special Easter prayers and rituals on this Sunday, decorate Easter eggs and bring Easter bunnies as gift items for children. They also exchange gifts with friends and relatives apart from having special foods and drinks on Easter day.

Easter Celebration in Goa

Goa has the most extravagant style of celebrating Easter in India. Apart from the special Easter sermons, prayers, masses and services in Churches of Goa, wonderful carnivals too are organized in these small state having Portuguese origin.

Easter Goa Carnival

Various street plays, songs, dances are performed which continues for a couple of weeks to celebrate the Easter season. Easter eggs, Easter bunnies and other gifts and presents including chocolates, cakes, flowers and colorful lanterns are exchanged among friends and families.